Around the world and back again
by Trabantlight
Summary: After Miranda gets fired from, she decides to explore the world. At her side: her children, her loyal, but endlessly stressed private assistants Andrea and Emily, the latter's wife Serena and her best friend Nigel. Follow along their adventure and never-ending search for the nearest starbucks.
1. A nasty surprise

_Disclaimer: I sadly hold no rights to the original story…_

_Summary:_

_After Miranda gets fired from, she decides to explore the world. At her side: her children, her loyal, but endlessly stressed private assistants Andrea and Emily, the latter's wife Serena and her best friend Nigel. Follow along their adventure and never-ending search for the nearest starbucks._

_A/N: Welcome to my very first Mirandy story. Both of them will be a bit OOC, as I do not yet quite grasp where I want to go with them only that they will end up together. The plot will not be very deep, I just want them to visit places around Europe and explore a relationship together. Nevertheless I hope you will have fun reading. Please review, as it really makes a writer's day!_

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_**Around the world and back again**_

**_Chapter 1  
_**

**_A nasty surprise_**

It had taken everyone by surprise.

After Miranda had outmaneuvered Irv in Paris, she was believed to be safe in her position. Head held high, she stalked proudly through the Runway corridors, firing the next orders at her trusted first assistant. Miranda gazed over to Andrea, about to offer her first kind words ever to a subordinate – she valued the immense loyalty the young girl showed in Paris – when she spotted Irv sitting comfortably in her office chair.

Entering her sacred space, the high and mighty leader of the world's most important magazine was stopped in her tracks and nearly stumbled when the nasal and arrogant voice of the chairman announced loudly:

"Miranda you are fired."

The white-haired beauty stood frozen when the ugly dwarf of a man listed the reasons why the board decided to separate from their most successful editor in chief in the history of Elias-Clarke. The sounds around her made no sense to her and her hands started to tremble. She was supposed to be the victor of their ever-ongoing war.

Trying to force herself back to a semblance of control, she noticed the borders of her vision becoming slightly black and her knees seemed to be on the border of giving out, when a gentle hand wrapped itself around her forearm and slowly led her towards her couch. It was Andrea that had the inner will to take over the situation.

"Mr Ravitz, I believe it would be greatly appreciated by every employee in this company if matters of dismissals would be treated with more care. I understand your personal feelings for Miranda are less than favorable, but disrespecting her the way you did just moments ago does not speak for your character." Her voice was ice-cold and Andrea had problems not letting her rage take over. She stepped in front of her boss's boss, effectively blocking his view of the woman she admired greatly. Towering over the tiny man, she waved her hand towards the door. "It would be beneficial for all of us if you could remove yourself from her office for the moment and seek to clarify the situation later this day."

Irv just sneered at her. "Insubordination. Miss Sachs, I believe you will follow your former boss right out of this building. I had plans for you to remain, but alas, you just decided your fate." He stepped around the tall brunette and smirked at his long time enemy. "You should do well to clear out your desk today. Tomorrow the new Editor in Chief will move in." He turned on the spot and shouldered his way out of the office, leaving behind a crushed Miranda and a still seething Andrea.

The latter, after Irv's words had sunk in, followed behind the height challenged goblin, and, in the middle of the corridor caught up with him. Tapping his shoulder, the brunette caused his turning around and suddenly a loud smack caused every activity in the Runway offices to stop immediately.

"NOW you can fire me for insubordination, you worthless little creature. I hope you choke on whatever satisfaction that little power play just gave you. Miranda is a million times your superior and Runway will be nothing without her." Gazing around herself she caught the eyes of every other Runway-employee. "You would all do well to leave this sinking ship as long as you can, before you drown with him…" She poked Irv on the forhead. "… and the rest of the rats sitting on the board."

Before the red-faced man in front of her could utter another word, Andrea stormed back into the Chief-Editors office, leaving the other witnesses whispering and gossiping about the scene that had just played out.

Emily had followed in Andrea's wake and observed quietly as the junior assistant kneeled down beside her still shocked boss, trying to get the woman's attention. When she finally succeeded she rested a hand on top of the older woman's and asked quietly: "What do you need us to do?"

Miranda seemed to take strength from the unwavering, soft gaze of her assistant and finally uttered: "Home… I need for you to get me home and have my belongings packed up. Call Nigel and have him here in 5 minutes and start informing our partners. Call my girls school and have them excused for the rest of the day. Patricia's medicine needs to be picked up. Cancel lunch with Donatella and…"

Andea interrupted bravely: "I will get you your starbucks." She stood and nodded towards Emily, who instantly sprang into action. Sighing, she squeezed Miranda's shoulder and added a bit lamely: "It will be alright."

Neither of them knew, that this would only be the start of something more than just "alright".

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A/N: Please review!


	2. The Runway Muntiny

Hello Dears,

i am so sorry i did not update any sooner, but my best friend dropped by for a suprise visit and we were busy chasing skirts and getting sunburn. However he gave me sooooo many ideas for the next chapters. Hope you enjoy this last, more or less calm chapter before the mayhem will begin *muhahahaha*

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_**Around the world and back again**_

_**Chapter 2**_

_**The Runway Mutiny**_

The townhouse was deadly silent when Andrea entered it for one last time, delivering the dry cleaning. One of her arm felt strangely empty without the usual weight of the book. Never again would she bring it for Miranda to review the work realized that day. Torn up inside by the sadness and rage whenever the realization that Miranda´s life work was ripped away from the impressive woman sunk just a bit further in, she just couldn´t help to crack a small smile when she remembered her co-workers and their reaction to Irv´s fatal move.

Half an hour after she smacked Irv, (and God her hand was still hurting) Andrea stayed behind, watching as Miranda stalked out of her office, calling for her purse and coat one last time. Emily had handed them over before grabbing her own things and falling into step just behind the white-haired goddess. Serena had joined her just a few seconds later, then Nigel, came out and with a smile took up his rightful place on the right sight of Miranda.

When they reached the elevators, who opened to spit Irv out like something foul they ate, the group had grown to include almost every staff member that worked at Runway. Under Irv´s watchful, out popping eyes, Miranda entered the empty cabin and, just for a second, smiled at the assembled staff, before the door´s closed, effectively ending her reign over the fashion magazine.

Smirking, the dwarfish man had turned to the staff and sneered: "You better get back to work."

It was Emily, who, once again, reacted first. Stepping up, she coldly eyeballed Irv, before backhanding him with all the force of the cheese cubes she ever ate. "Finally…" She sighed before smiling and handing over a slip of paper. "I quit. And took all the leaves I had left for the next two weeks. Goodbye, Irv."

She turned and held out her hand to Serena, who smiling widely, just added her resignation on top of Emily´s and together they walked towards the stairs, leaving a spluttering Irv behind. Nigel called behind them: "Hey, wait for me, you ungrateful little brats."

Passing the troll on standing beside the elevators, he trust his letter forward, not caring if his former employer caught the hastily scribbled note and hurried after the pair. While Irv was sprouting calls of "Insubordination! Mutiny! You will never work anywhere else again!" and other nonsense, the rest of the assembled staff followed their leaders example and walking right away from Runway, heading Andrea´s warning from before.

Andrea still wished she could have remembered to record it. It had made her day, and it would have been certainly entertaining for Miranda. Not to mention the financial gain of selling something akin to the press. Alas, she had been enjoying watching it too much, to even think about taking out her phone.

Jocelyn, wanting to match Irv´s right cheek to the bright red left one, had followed the assistants lead and smacked the spiteful hobbit, actually forcing him to stagger back a few steps. The compliments of her proficiency from Peter, her closest co-worker, had caused her to blush fiercely, before accepting his lunch invitation straight away.

When the quitting cortege had passed and left behind frightingly empty runway corridors, Andrea had let out a loud laugh before returning to her desk. She had still work to do, before calling it a day and reclaiming her liberty.

Whistling merrily, she had sat behind her desk, shutting down all runway relating documents and calling up a new empty one to start with a first draft of a recommendation letter for the recently unemployed ex-runway members, all the while reaching for the office-phone to call her copy at Vogue. The main enemy of the former leading magazine would gain some quite qualified new employees, if she would have any say about it.

"Andrea."

Miranda´s soft voice shook the young woman out of her thoughts and she hurried to close the closet door and enter the small sitting room next to the kitchen. Her former boss sat regally in formfitting black pants and a simple beige wrap sweeter. It was the most comfortable clothing Andrea had ever seen her in, discounting Paris.

"Yes Miranda?" A pale motioned for her to sit down on the chair opposite.

"I had a most interesting call from Anna this afternoon. Apparently she needed my personal opinion on some new additions of her staff that all seem to have worked for Runway until this morning. Could you clarify for me, how almost the entire Runway staff ended up unemployed and reemployed in less than 8 hours?"

Fidgeting under an intense blue gaze, Andrea said: "They quit."

A raised eyebrow prompted her to explain further. "They all walked out right behind you. I warned them about staying on a sinking ship and, for all the fear you installed in us, most of your former underlings are loyal to you, Miranda. What Irv did was despicable, and as a consequence he is now on a board of a publication house whose most-important magazine is staffless. Well almost… A few of the recently hired stayed behind." She shrugged. "While relaying the information of the recent changes at Runway, I informed the contacts about the mutiny and working for you is all the qualification they needed to hire those who walked out. Actually, by the time I made the second call, they called me, just to confirm the news. Word of mouth is impressively fast in our branch."

By then, Miranda´s lips had lifted to a full blown smile and a soft chuckle escaped her.

"So, tell me, who did hire my most trusted assistant?"

"Actually… I… ehm…" The glee that had risen in Andrea´s heart just seconds ago, disappeared quicker than Nigel running from last season jeans.

Prompted by the slight flicker of impatience she managed: "I did not yet look for a new workplace for myself, I am afraid. I guess I will pursue a career as journalist if someone will employ me."

"You mean to tell me…" Miranda´s voice softened further and chills of impending doom racked down Andrea´s spine. "…that you managed to assist every single one of your former co-worker's in finding something new, while disregarding your own future?"

"Sort of?"

"I must say…" The younger woman was calculating the fastest escape route. "…I am quite pleased about that."

The rollercoaster ride of Andrea´s feeling reached a new high on the confused scale.

Standing up, the older woman moved towards her bookcase and left a finger drift over the covers of travel literature. "I was hoping to hire you as my personal assistant."

With hopeful eyes, Miranda turned back to the brunette sitting stunned.

"I want to travel the world."


	3. Assembling the traveling company

A/N: So, a much faster update this time. Thank you all for the lovely review´s of the first two chapters. Hope you enjoy this one!

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_**Around the world and back again**_

_**Chapter 3**_

_**Assembling the traveling company**_

"You… want to travel…" Andrea could do no other thing than to parrot back Miranda´s last statement. "…The world. Like the whole round thing we live on?"

"Yes." The older woman´s eyes sparkled in amusment while beholding her personal assistants confusion.

"Like not fighting back for Runway but visiting around 194 countries on our planet?" Andrea was still struggling to wrap her head around Miranda´s wish.

"If you have enough intellect to know how many countries exist in the world, you can surely understand the wording of my demand, can´t you, Andrea?" She purposely pronounced the younger woman´s name in her own special way, elongating her purr and softening her tone. "You have proven more than once to make the seemingly impossible, possible for me. So organizing a simple _voyage_ shouldn´t pose a problem." She again turned towards the bookshelf and reached for an atlas. "Maybe this would help?"

Andrea shook her head and forced herself to the calm mindset that usually aided her in her former job. She withdrew pen and notebook and took a deep breath, facing the danger of asking Miranda to clarify her wish. Her boss sat down again and opened the atlas on the sitting table between them, trailing her fingers over the oval shaped image of the world. It had been a deep desire since she was a child to own enough money and have enough time to explore everything she could, travel to far away countries and live adventures instead of only reading about them. Andrea´s voice stopped her short daydreaming.

"What about your girls?"

"What about them?" Miranda´s answer spoke of slight impatience. "They will travel with us of course. I wouldn´t leave my Bobbseys behind and deny them such a fantastic and unique learning opportunity." Andrea only nodded resigned.

"I will hire a tutor then, so they do not fall behind in school?" At the older woman´s nod she scribbled it down and asked: "Do you need me to add anyone else on our traveling company?"

"Do ask Clara if she wants to travel with us. She probably won´t come though, leaving her family behind for such a long time. Tell Emily to quit at Vogue. She will visit Paris much sooner with us then under that dreadful magazine. She will take over Cara´s duties, if need is such. Oh, and tell Nigel to stop this nonsense about going to Armani and it would disappoint me greatly if he should forget to bring his equipment. It is time for him to explore his underappreciated gift as photographer. We will start in Europe, in a week. That should give you sufficient time to plan, Andrea. France, starting with Paris will be our second stop. I want to explore another country first, but just for a couple of days." Miranda circled with her finger around the shape of the assembly of countries across the pond. "I will leave the rest of the preparations in your capable hands. Surely you will manage." She directed a full blown grin and the hastily writing Andrea. "That´s all."

The younger woman finished writing and nodded with a blank face, still in shock over what lay ahead. After just a few seconds, Miranda´s eyebrow rose and set her into motion, scrabbling for her things and jumping to her feet. She walked towards the door and finally left with a quick "Goodnight, Miranda."

Andrea never heard the laughter that rose in Miranda´s sacred halls when the front door fell shut behind her.

Once outside, just managing to catch a stray taxi (who just seemed to keep appearing whenever she needed one), she pulled out her phone to check the time and, deciding it wasn´t too late to call the first person on her list, dialled Cara´s number.

That phone call was by far the easiest and shortest. As expected by Miranda, the woman refused the offer and instead proposed that she would take over the care of the townhouse, allowing Andrea to cross out an item on a to do list she had yet to really set up. Ending the call her mind was swirling with things she needed to organize in just a week, almost bringing tears to her eyes. What on earth was she thinking to take on this job?

Her phone rang. Nigel. Taking in a deep breath she steeled herself before picking up.

"Hey girl. Finished your last day under the Ice Queen? Listen, we, meaning Emily, Serena, Roy and me, decided to go for a drink at the cocktail bar you told us about. Care to join the merry band of former Runway employees?" His words rushed out so fast, she didn´t even had the chance to think of a reply before he continued: "Wonderful. See you soon, Tata." She gave the new address to the driver before falling back on her seat.

Maybe "Surviving the Organization of a World Travel for Miranda Prienstly" would sound good on her CV, if she managed not to keep herself from dying. It should definitely be up there with killing a dinosaur or wrestling dingos and crocodiles simultaneously. God, she needed to lay off of late-night-movies.

Entering the "Golden Sunset Cocktail Bar", the first thing Andrea noticed that she arrived just in time for Mojito Happy Hour. Maybe drowning in her favourite alcoholic beverage would be the nicer way to go? Well, at least it would make dealing with Emily a whole lot easier. Spying her friends at one of the back tables she wove her way through them and sat down with a sigh.

The others were grinning at her, voicing their welcome.

"Dragon lady breathing fire at home, or what did take away your usual smile?" It was Serena who asked, with her distinctive accent.

"Sort of." Andrea ordered two Mojito when the waiter approached before turning towards Emily and Nigel. "I need to speak with both of you." Nigel frowned while the Englishwoman rose an eyebrow. Did she have to take over all of Miranda´s mannerisms? "Miranda wants you both back under her employ."

"But…" "What…" Stopping the protest with her hand Andrea clarified.

"I went to deliver her dry cleaning when she hired me as her personal assistant for a project she wants to take on, now that Runway will not be her whole life anymore. She ordered me to get you both on board. And you know, what Miranda wants…"

"…Miranda gets." Chorused the rest of the group. While Emily and Serena started whispering to eachother, Andrea said to Nigel: "She wants you to bring your photographing gear." He cocked his head and nodded. He would always pick a job under his best friend over any other position. Even if Armani had sounded pretty decent. "I´m in." Andrea sighed relieved.

"Us too." At that the brunette was surprised, as it had come again from Serena. While the waiter approached and sat down both of Andrea´s drinks, one not even touching the wood of the table for a second before it had found his way into her hand, half of the liquid downed in a heartbeat. "Can´t have Miranda strutting around with my wife without me having an eye on her." Emily rolled her eyes and added: "At least I will already know what to expect with the bloody Devil."

"Probably means I will be rehired too." Roy shrugged. "Always liked the lady."

Andrea sized up her recently divorced friend. His wife had left him because of his irregular working hours. Adding him to their group would probably do him some good.

"Can you fly a jet, Roy?" At his nod, the young P.A. slowly started to grin. "Definitly hired."

"What´s the new project?" Nigel interjected.

"We, my dear friends, are joining her former Highness of the Fashion Industry on Miranda Priestly´s extravagant and adventurous …" The brunette purposely waited until they all had taken a sip from their drinks. "…round-the-world trip."

The resulting cascade definitely made Andrea´s day.

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A/N: Enjoyed that one?

Upcoming: Organizing the travel

Any countries/ cities/ places you absolutly want them to travel to? I got the first visits in Europe already planned out, but i will try to incorporate as many of your wishes as possible.


	4. Oh the phone

A/N: So sorry for the wait: Here a last before trip chapter. Afterwards the journey will start (and the chapters will be longer :D ) Thank you all so much for the reviews and ideas! Will try to incorporate as many as possible!

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_**Around the world and back again**_

**Chapter 4**

**Oh the Phone**

The next morning Andrea woke up to a pounding head. Moaning piteously, she turned away from the offending sunlight peaking in between the half-closed curtains, struggling to regain a logical flow of thoughts while wondering since when her blanket became so heavy. And what the hell was this stupid, insistent noise disturbing the sacred silence of her bedroom?

Slowly words and images filtered through cotton-like something that was once her brain. Mojito… more Mojito… shots… laughter… Cocktails… more shots… Okay, so alcohol would explain her current situation. Very well… First riddle solved. Andrea congratulated herself.

So, she was out, celebrating. With a spectacled man in a hideously expensive suit… Ceasar?... No, wrong name. Puck?... No, doesn't sound right either. Something with N… Nitti, Nicholas… NIGEL! That was it! She grinned at her excellent feat of morning genius and pierced further information provided by her memory together. There were three more persons present. And Doug… wait, Doug? When exactly did her ex-friend join the group? Whatever…

So there was Nigel, Doug… Another man who was called something rhyming with Boy… Troy? No, too many letters… Dropping the T, she finally gave him the name Roy… for now… could be she was wrong. The two women next… Something English… Victoria? Nah… Elizabeth? Neither, although she had a vague memory of someone singing God save the Queen. Emily! Of course… and her witch, eehhr wife… Serena! There you go…

Nigel, Doug, Roy, Emily, Serena… Yes, that made sense. Her former co-workers and Happy Hour. Celebrating their last day at Runway. Again Andrea couldn't help but grin at the hazy memories of carefree behaviour. They had started at the Golden Sunset, went somewhere in the middle and ended in her apartment, where the rest decided to stay over… The ringing started again and the handover mess that made up the young woman batted her hand in the direction of where it had its origin. Her fingers brushed over her phone and lazily she turned it over, so she could see what the emergency was. Squinting her eyes Andrea read: "Incoming call: Mir…"

"Oh Fuck!" The young woman leaped on her feet, causing Emily and Serena, who had been snuggled up on her side, to wake up groggily. Before she could answer, the call had already ended. Andrea stood petrified in the middle of her bedroom, in a pair of old boxers and her Nordwestern hoodie, with the worst bedhair ever and stared unbelieving at the screen. It was Emily's "Whatthebloodyhell?" that made her turn around to the half-awake pair.

"I missed a call from Miranda." Total silence. "Correction…" Andrea became even paler. "I missed three fucking calls from Miranda…" She met Emily's wide eyes. "She is going to kill me."

They just nodded, when, suddenly, the phone started ringing again. "Should I…?" Andrea looked beseechingly at both stunning women, hoping they would immediately come up with a plan to safe her. "Take the bloody call!" Serena winced at her wife's screech. Hitting the green button, Andrea stumbled over Nigel sleeping on the floor.

"Miranda?" She managed to breath out without stuttering.

"Honestly Andrea, is it too much to ask for my PERSONAL assistant to pick up their phone the first time I call? Obviously you have already forgotten everything you learned at Runway, in little over 12 hours? If this is any indication of what your work ethic will be on this job, than we will probably never leave this country or end up getting lost in the middle of a desert." Miranda's rant continued while Andrea scrambled over to her desk to get her notebook and pen. Scribbling down all instructions that poured through, she finally got one thing: Her Karma was real bad…

******Scene Break******

It had been a week since that first morning under Miranda's new employ. The older woman had Andrea running around practically 24/7 and when she wasn't on her feet, organizing one or the other thing for the upcoming trip, she poured over maps and traveling guides, figuring out the best route through Europe. The nearby bookshop had been bought out of every travel material they had available, and she maxed out her library card. Still, it had taken her two days to figure out what country to visit before France, as most of them really offered more than you could see in "a few days".

The solution had come in form of a skype call at 3 a.m. It had been months since she talked with Jo, but as the smiling face popped up in the middle of her screen, Andrea had almost screamed in joy. She had answered and the first question had been: "Do you still organize visiting tours?" Luck was for once on her side and the twenty-five year old agreed to work out a five day visit in her home country. Part of the burden pushed off, Andrea had focused on getting the appropriate clothing ready (Thank heaven for still generous designers), getting a tutor (hiring Serena and Doug for the job… Payback for the fun they made of her, when the memories of their celebration night came back), and getting a flight.

It was yesterday, when she finally got the OK for using Miranda's 'dear friend' Donatella's private jet, that Miranda had called and confused the hell out of her younger employee. Andrea still chuckled when she thought of that conversation:

_Flashback_

_"Miranda." Andrea had answered her phone, while still typing her reply to Donatella's assistant._

_"Andrea. How are you? Did you manage to work out everything for our journey?" Miranda's voice sounded off and her attempt at small talk let Andrea freeze immediately. _

_"I…I…I'm fine Miranda. I just organized our flights, the twins lesson plans were send over this morning by their school. Patricia will be brought back from her pre-journey trim in 30 minutes and…" She started to give Miranda a rundown of everything, thinking that maybe her boss was worried about the organization, when she was interrupted by a strange prolonged murmuring on the other side. Gathering her courage, she asked:_

_"Could you repeat that, Miranda? The connection must be…"_

_"I bought a jet." The answer was almost whispered and filled with a strange emotion that took Andrea a long moment to identify. Miranda sounded… guilty?_

_"You bought a jet." She parroted back._

_"Yes. I bought a jet." Andrea really wanted to ask if Miranda was sick… But she was just too stunned._

_"I… Well… Donatella's… Erhm… Okay." When no reproval for her stuttering came, she continued: "Is everything alright, Miranda?"_

_"Yes. I just bought a jet." Andrea was decide whether to call Miranda's doctor or the ambulance. "I thought it would make things… easier… for you." Apologetic Miranda was definitely even scarier than guilty Miranda. _

_"Yes… It… Okay…" Andrea took a deep breath. "That's great. Roy will be able to fly it. Will you send me over the information please?" Focusing on work, calmed both of them down, and soon her boss was back to firing orders, with her happily scrabbling them down. _

So, in a few hours, the world trip would begin. Closing her laptop for the last time and going mentally a last time over her checklist, she fell into bed with the words:

"Luxembourg… here we come."

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